Turkey claims: nine Israelis arrested on suspicion of involvement in fraud network

Turkish authorities have arrested nine Israelis on suspicion of involvement in an international investment fraud network worth approximately $266 million. The network operated for about a decade through call centers in Istanbul and Muğla Province. The detainees were employed as customer service agents, and were forbidden from speaking Hebrew or contacting Israelis.

Turkish authorities have arrested nine Israeli citizens as part of a large-scale operation against an international investment fraud network, worth approximately $266 million. The network, dubbed the "Fraud Empire," operated for about a decade through call centers in Istanbul and Muğla Province in southwestern Turkey. Turkish police, in cooperation with the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) and Interpol, raided hundreds of addresses. According to the investigation, network operators convinced victims to invest in investment platforms they controlled, presented fake profits, and induced them to transfer additional sums. The funds were transferred to bank accounts abroad and cryptocurrency wallets. Some victims lost tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. One of the main suspects identified is an Israeli with a Portuguese passport. All the Israeli detainees were employed as customer service agents. Strict rules were set at the call centers, including a ban on speaking Hebrew and a ban on contacting Israeli citizens. Employees used fake names and fabricated stories, and in some cases claimed to be graduates of prestigious universities. The investigation is ongoing.